Laundry appliance

ABSTRACT

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet that has a front panel. A tub is positioned within the cabinet. A door is coupled to the front panel of the cabinet. The door moves vertically between a closed position and an opened position. A bellows assembly is coupled to the front panel. The bellows assembly extends between the cabinet and the tub. A sealing assembly includes a first seal and a second seal that are each coupled to the bellows assembly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.62/851,938, filed on May 23, 2019, entitled “LAUNDRY APPLIANCE,” thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to a laundry appliance, andmore specifically, to a laundry appliance having a bellows washassembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Washers generally include bellows disposed between a cabinet and a tubpositioned within the cabinet. The bellows allow the tub to moveindependently of the cabinet. Additionally, washers typically have doorsrotatably coupled to the cabinet. The doors are operable between aclosed position, sealing the front opening, and an opened position foraccessing the drum.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a laundry applianceincludes a cabinet that has a front panel. A tub is positioned withinthe cabinet. A door is coupled to the front panel of the cabinet. Thedoor moves vertically between a closed position and an opened position.A bellows assembly is coupled to the front panel. The bellows assemblyextends between the cabinet and the tub. A sealing assembly includes afirst seal and a second seal that are each coupled to the bellowsassembly.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a laundryappliance includes a cabinet that defines a front opening in a frontpanel thereof. A tub is disposed within the cabinet. A bracket iscoupled to the front panel proximate the front opening. A door isrotatably coupled to the cabinet via the bracket. The door is operablealong an arced path through a single plane between opened and closedpositions. The single plane is parallel to the front panel.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a laundryappliance includes a cabinet. A tub is positioned within the cabinet. Abellows assembly extends between the cabinet and the tub. A bellows washassembly is disposed proximate an upper portion of the bellows assembly.The bellows wash assembly is configured to dispense water on an interiorsurface of the bellows assembly.

These and other features, advantages, and objects of the presentdisclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilledin the art by reference to the following specification, claims, andappended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a laundry appliance with a door ina closed position, according to one example;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the laundry appliance of FIG. 1with the door in an opened position;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a bellows assembly and adeflector in the laundry appliance of FIG. 2 taken at line III-III;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bellows assembly in thelaundry appliance of FIG. 3 with the deflector removed;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bellows assembly of FIG.4 taken along line V-V;

FIG. 6 is a schematic partial cross-sectional perspective view of thelaundry appliance of FIG. 2 taken along line VI-VI;

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bellows assembly ofFIG. 3 showing operation of the bellows wash assembly;

FIG. 8 is a schematic front perspective view of the laundry appliancehaving a sliding door, according to one example;

FIG. 9 is a partial schematic exploded view of the laundry appliance ofFIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side perspective view of the bellows assembly and thesliding door in the opened position removed from the laundry appliance,according to one example;

FIG. 11 is a side perspective view of the bellows assembly and thesliding door in the closed position removed from the laundry appliance,according to one example;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a sealing assembly, taken at area XII ofFIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bellows assembly andthe door of FIG. 11 taken along line XIII-XIII;

FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bellows assembly andthe door of FIG. 13 with a seal of a sealing assembly integrally formedwith the bellows assembly;

FIG. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view of the bellows assembly andthe door of FIG. 14 with the seal having a hook to interlock with agasket on the door;

FIG. 16 is a partial cross-sectional view of a door abutting a seal ofthe bellows assembly, taken along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 11;

FIG. 17 is a schematic front view of a laundry appliance having acabinet with a front panel removed and a door in a closed position,according to one example;

FIG. 18 is a schematic front view of the laundry appliance of FIG. 17with the door in an intermediate position;

FIG. 19 is a schematic front view of the laundry appliance of FIG. 17with the door in an opened position;

FIG. 20 is an enlarged view of a bracket with a pivot point for thedoor, taken at area XX of FIG. 17;

FIG. 21 is a schematic front view of the laundry appliance of FIG. 18showing a sealing assembly; and

FIG. 22 is a schematic front view of the laundry appliance of FIG. 17showing a path of movement of the door between the opened and closedpositions.

The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasisinstead being placed upon illustrating the principles described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present illustrated embodiments reside primarily in combinations ofmethod steps and apparatus components related to a laundry appliance.Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have beenrepresented, where appropriate, by conventional symbols in the drawings,showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understandingthe embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure thedisclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.Further, like numerals in the description and drawings represent likeelements.

For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,”“left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivativesthereof shall relate to the disclosure as oriented in FIG. 1. Unlessstated otherwise, the term “front” shall refer to the surface of theelement closer to an intended viewer, and the term “rear” shall refer tothe surface of the element further from the intended viewer. However, itis to be understood that the disclosure may assume various alternativeorientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It isalso to be understood that the specific devices and processesillustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the followingspecification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive conceptsdefined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and otherphysical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed hereinare not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly stateotherwise.

The terms “including,” “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variationthereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that aprocess, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elementsdoes not include only those elements but may include other elements notexpressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, orapparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises a . . . ” does not,without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identicalelements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprisesthe element.

Referring to FIGS. 1-22, reference numeral 10 generally designates alaundry appliance that includes a cabinet 14 defining a front opening18. A tub 20 is positioned within the cabinet 14. A drum 22 ispositioned within the tub 20 and is accessible via the front opening 18.A door 26 is operably coupled to the cabinet 14 and operable between anopened position 30 and a closed position 34. The door 26 is configuredto seal the front opening 18 when in the closed position 34. A bellowsassembly 42 is disposed proximate the front opening 18 between thecabinet 14 and the tub 20. A bellows wash assembly 46 is disposedproximate an upper portion 50 of the bellows assembly 42 for dispensingwater along an interior surface 54 of the bellows assembly 42.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the laundry appliance 10 includes thecabinet 14 defining the front opening 18 in a front panel 58 thereof.The tub 20 is disposed within the cabinet 14 and defines an accessopening 62, which is generally aligned with the front opening 18 of thecabinet 14. Accordingly, the tub 20 is typically accessed by a user viathe front opening 18 and the access opening 62, respectively.

The laundry appliance 10 is illustrated as a front-load washer, however,the laundry appliance 10 may also be a top-load washer, a dryer, acombination washer/dryer, or other laundry appliance 10. The door 26 isoperably coupled to the cabinet 14 for sealing the front opening 18 whenin the closed position 34 and allowing access to the tub 20 and the drum22 when in the opened position 30. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, thedoor 26 is a swing or hinged door rotatably coupled to the cabinet 14.In such examples, the door 26 can be a flat panel hinged door or afishbowl-style hinged door. It is also contemplated that the door 26 canbe a sliding door 26, as exemplified in FIGS. 8-22, which can movehorizontally and/or vertically, without departing from the teachingsherein.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the bellows assembly 42 is disposed adjacentto the front opening 18 of the cabinet 14. The bellows assembly 42 istypically coupled to the cabinet 14 along a perimeter of the frontopening 18. Further, the bellows assembly 42 is also typically coupledto the tub 20 along a perimeter of the access opening 62. Accordingly,the bellows assembly 42 extends between the cabinet 14 and the tub 20.Typically, the bellows assembly 42 extends around the entire perimeterof the front opening 18 and the access opening 62. However, it iscontemplated that the bellows assembly 42 can extend partially aroundthe perimeter of at least one of the front opening 18 and the accessopening 62.

In various examples, the tub 20 and the drum 22 may be positioned at anangle within the cabinet 14. As such, the access opening 62 can beoffset from the front opening 18. Accordingly, the bellows assembly 42can be an obliquely-oriented bellows. The bellows assembly 42 can beconfigured to form an oblique cylinder or frusto-conical shape thatdefines a downward angle between the front opening 18 and the accessopening 62 of the offset tub 20. The bellows assembly 42 is advantageousfor retaining laundry 66 within the tub 20 during a laundry cycle. Insuch configurations, the bellows assembly 42 can form a sloped surfaceto direct water into the drum 22. The bellows assembly 42 is typicallyconfigured as a flexible gasket having a plurality of folds 70. Theflexibility of the bellows assembly 42 and the folds 70 permit the tub20 to move substantially independent of the cabinet 14.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the laundry appliance 10 can include adeflector 74 disposed proximate the bellows assembly 42. In exampleshaving the deflector 74, the deflector 74 extends at least partiallyaround the perimeter of the front opening 18 of the cabinet 14, but canalso extend around the entire perimeter. The deflector 74 is coupled tothe cabinet 14 and extends over the bellows assembly 42, partiallythrough the access opening 62, and into the drum 22. The deflector 74 isadvantageous for deflecting laundry 66 away from the bellows assembly 42and into the drum 22. The deflector 74 is also advantageous forprotecting the bellows assembly 42 from laundry 66 contacting thebellows assembly 42, which can result in premature wear of the bellowsassembly 42. The deflector 74 can be utilized in conjunction with asliding-type door 26 and/or a hinged-type door 36 to deflect laundry 66away from the bellows assembly 42.

Referring to FIGS. 2-5, as previously explained, the bellows assembly 42typically includes the folds 70 such that the tub 20 can move separatelyfrom the cabinet 14. The folds 70 can be substantially the same aroundthe bellows assembly 42 or may be different in size, shape, number, orother aspects based on the configuration and positioning of the tub 20relative to the cabinet 14. In various examples, the folds 70 can besubstantially sinusoidal-shaped, obliquely sinusoidal-shaped, or othersinusoidal shape proximate at least one of the upper portion 50, sideportions 78, and lower portion 82 of the bellows assembly 42. Thesinusoidal-shaped folds 70 can include a first fold portion extending afirst direction and a second fold portion extending a second opposingdirection. The sinusoidal-shaped folds 70 are advantageous forminimizing and/or avoiding self-contact by the bellows assembly 42 whenin motion. Reducing self-contact by the bellows assembly 42 reducesfriction and surface wear of the bellows assembly 42 that can resulttherefrom.

The bellows assembly 42 typically has a rear profile that issubstantially concentric with the access opening 62. Further, the upperportion 50 of the bellows assembly 42 is generally coupled to the tub 20at an attachment portion 86 that is spaced-apart from the access opening62. Accordingly, the bellows assembly 42 are typically offset from theaccess opening 62 of the tub 20. Further, a clear access aperture 90defined by the bellows assembly 42 is typically larger than the accessopening 62 defined by the tub 20.

For example, a 12 o'clock position 94 of the bellows assembly 42 can becoupled to the tub 20 at the attachment portion 86 and can bespaced-apart from a top portion 98 of the access opening 62. In suchexamples, the upper portion 50 of the bellows assembly 42 is coupled tothe tub 20 in a manner to increase a gap 102 between the folds 70 andthe tub 20. Increasing the gap 102 between the bellows assembly 42 andthe tub 20 is advantageous for minimizing contact between the bellowsassembly 42 and the tub 20 when either is in motion, which reducessurface wear of the bellows assembly 42 as a result.

The lower portion 82 of the bellows assembly 42 can generally align witha bottom portion 106 of the access opening 62 of the tub 20. The folds70 proximate the lower portion 82 of the bellows assembly 42 are alsotypically substantially sinusoidal-shaped. The folds 70 proximate thelower portion 82 of the bellows assembly 42 are advantageous forincreasing a space 110 between the bellows assembly 42 and the frontpanel 58 of the cabinet 14. Increasing the space 110 is advantageous forminimizing contact between the cabinet 14 and the bellows assembly 42when the bellows assembly 42 is in motion, which reduces surface wear ofthe bellows assembly 42.

In various examples, a 6 o'clock position 114 of the bellows assembly 42can be disposed adjacent to the bottom portion 106 of the access opening62 to maintain a watershed feature 116 of the bellows assembly 42. Thewatershed feature 116 of the bellows assembly 42 allows water thatcontacts the bellows assembly 42 to drain from the bellows assembly 42into the tub 20 and/or the drum 22. The lower portion 82 can form asloping surface to direct liquid into the tub 20 and/or the drum 22 toprovide the watershed feature 116. The watershed feature 116 can reduceand/or eliminate other types of drains in the laundry appliance 10 thatremove water or other liquid or items from the bellows assembly 42.

Referring still to FIGS. 2-5, the side portions 78 of the bellowsassembly 42 can include folds 70. The attachment portions 86, where theside portions 78 of the bellows assembly 42 are coupled to the tub 20,are spaced outside of the access opening 62 to increase the gap 102between the folds 70 of the bellows assembly 42 and the tub 20. Forexample, a 3 o'clock position 118 and a 9 o'clock position 122 of thebellows assembly 42 is coupled to the tub 20, such that the bellowsassembly 42 concentrically larger than the access opening 62.Accordingly, the clear access aperture 90 defined by the bellowsassembly 42 is typically wider than the access opening 62. The increasedgap 102 proximate the folds 70 in the side portions 78 of the bellowsassembly 42 reduces contact between the bellows assembly 42 and the tub20 when either or both of the bellows assembly 42 and the tub 20 are inmotion to reduce surface wear of the bellows assembly 42. The bellowsassembly 42, as described herein, may be utilized with a hinged-typedoor 26, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and/or with a sliding-type door 26 asillustrated in FIGS. 8-22. The sinusoidal bellows assembly 42 isconfigured to reduce self-contact of the bellows assembly 42, as well asreduce contact with the tub 20 and the cabinet 14.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 6, and 7, the laundry appliance 10 may include thebellows wash assembly 46. The bellows wash assembly 46 typicallyincludes at least one inlet 126 for inserting liquid, such as water orcleaning agents, into the tub 20, the drum 22, and/or onto the interiorsurface 54 of the bellows assembly 42. The inlet 126 can be the primarywater inlet of the laundry appliance 10 (e.g., a washer) for providingwater to the tub 20, and possibly the drum 22, to wash the laundry 66.The bellows wash assembly 46 can include one or more diverters 130 todirect the liquid from the inlet 126 into different directions. Forexample, the bellows wash assembly 46 can include two diverters 130 toseparate the liquid into two or more streams. For example, the liquidcan be provided directly to the tub 20 to wash the laundry 66 and canalso be provided to each side portion 78 of the bellows assembly 42. Inother words, the liquid can be divided into a central stream and twoside streams of water. Other configurations of directing the liquid fromthe bellows wash assembly 46 are contemplated without departing from theteachings herein.

The bellows wash assembly 46 may include one inlet 126 and one diverter130 to divide the liquid into at least two streams of liquid flowingdown the opposing side portions 78 of the bellows assembly 42.Additionally or alternatively, the bellows wash assembly 46 can includeat least one additional inlet 126 (e.g., at least two inlets 126). Insuch examples, the bellows wash assembly 46 can include two inlets 126,each configured to direct liquid down one corresponding side portion 78of the bellows assembly 42, respectively. Moreover, separated inlets 126can dispense different types of liquid (e.g., one for water and one fora cleaning agent).

According to various aspects, the bellows wash assembly 46 can includeat least one spray nozzle 128 for directing liquid to the tub 20 and/orto the bellows assembly 42. In various examples, the spray nozzle 128can operate in conjunction with the diverters 130 to divide the waterinto streams for the bellows assembly 42 and the tub 20. It iscontemplated that the bellows wash assembly 46 can include multiplespray nozzles 128, each configured to direct liquid at a correspondingportion of the bellows assembly 42 and into the tub 20, respectively.

The bellows wash assembly 46 is typically configured to direct liquid ina repeatable pattern over the interior surface 54 of the bellowsassembly 42. The inlet 126 is often disposed proximate the upper portion50 of the bellows assembly 42; however, the one or more inlets 126 mayalso be disposed elsewhere without departing from the teachings herein.In certain aspects, the inlet 126 is disposed at the upper portion 50,such as proximate the 12 o'clock position 94, of the bellows assembly42. The inlet 126 and/or the spray nozzle 128 typically direct theliquid over the interior surface 54 of both side portions 78 of thebellows assembly 42 and to the lower portion 82 of the bellows assembly42. Accordingly, the bellows wash assembly 46 can direct liquid over theinterior surface 54 of the bellows assembly 42 from approximately the 12o'clock position 94 toward approximately the 6 o'clock position 114where the watershed feature 116 is typically positioned. The liquid maydiverge proximate the inlet 126 to flow down both side portions 78 ofthe bellows assembly 42 and then converge proximate the lower portion 82of the bellows assembly 42. Accordingly, each stream of liquid cantravel approximately 180° around the bellows assembly 42. With thewatershed feature 116, the bellows assembly 42 may then direct theliquid into the tub 20 or the drum 22. The liquid typically flows in acontinuous pattern that can be repeated when the liquid is dispensedfrom the inlet 126 of the bellows wash assembly 46. In examples wherethe laundry appliance 10 includes the deflector 74, the liquid from thebellows wash assembly 46 may flow under the deflector 74 along the lowerportion 82 with the watershed feature 116 of the bellows assembly 42.Additional diverters 130 can be included to direct liquid onto a topsurface of the deflector 74.

The flow of liquid stays on the bellows assembly 42 by surface adhesionof the liquid, the shape of the bellows assembly 42, the folds 70,and/or centrifugal force. The bellows wash assembly 46 is advantageousfor washing the bellows assembly 42. More specifically, the bellows washassembly 46 is advantageous for washing the folds 70 of the bellowsassembly 42. The bellows wash assembly 46 can clear laundry materialsfrom the interior surface 54 of the bellows assembly 42. The laundrymaterials may include lint, dirt, moisture, pooled water, residuallaundry chemistry, and/or small items.

Referring still to FIGS. 1, 6, and 7, movement of the tub 20 and/or thecabinet 14 can assist the bellows wash assembly 46 in washing thebellows assembly 42. For example, vibrations of the cabinet 14 during alaundry cycle often cause movement and/or vibrations of the bellowsassembly 42. Additionally or alternatively, movement of the tub 20during a laundry cycle typically causes movement of the bellows assembly42. The movement and/or vibrations of the bellows assembly 42 generallypromote movement of the laundry materials from the bellows assembly 42into the tub 20 and/or the drum 22. Accordingly, the bellows washassembly 46, the shape of the bellows assembly 42, and the movement ofthe bellows assembly 42 can cooperate to provide a wash system for thebellows assembly 42. Additionally, the wash system can be ongoing andautomatic and may operate in conjunction with, or independently from, alaundry cycle. The bellows wash assembly 46 can be used in conjunctionwith the sinusoidal bellows assembly 42. Additionally or alternatively,the bellows wash assembly 46 can be used with a variety of doors 26 thatcan be included in the laundry appliance 10. For example, the bellowswash assembly 26 can be used with a hinged-type door, a sliding-typedoor, and/or a sliding and rotating-type door.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the door 26 of the laundry appliance 10 canbe slidably coupled with the cabinet 14. In such examples, the door 26is typically a substantially flat panel. The door 26 is generallyconfigured to slide from the closed position 34 covering the frontopening 18 to a downward location within the cabinet 14 of the laundryappliance 10 (e.g., the opened position 30). In such examples, thecabinet 14 of the laundry appliance 10 typically defines a slot 134 foraccessing a chamber 138 positioned proximate to the front panel 58 ofthe cabinet 14. The door 26 can move through the slot 134 into thechamber 138 when moving to the closed position 34.

The door 26 includes a handle 142 that allows the user to move the door26 over the front opening 18 and/or into the chamber 138. Asillustrated, the closed position 34 (e.g., when the door 26 ispositioned over the front opening 18 of the cabinet 14) is a raisedposition. In such examples, the opened position 30 of the door 26, whichprovides access to the drum 22, is a lowered position relative to theclosed position 34. When the door 26 is in the opened position 30, thedoor 26 is disposed in the chamber 138 defined by the cabinet 14. Asillustrated, the chamber 138 is disposed below the front opening 18,such that a user, or an operating mechanism, can manipulate the door 26upwards to the closed position 34 over the front opening 18. However, itis contemplated that the chamber 138 can be positioned in anotherlocation proximate the front opening 18 and the door 26 can beconfigured to move sideways and/or downwards to be positioned over thefront opening 18. Additionally, the use of the deflector 74 in thelaundry appliance 10 can allow for the use of the slidably engaged paneldoor 26 while providing a function to deflect laundry 66 away from thebellows assembly 42.

The door 26 can be motorized. In such examples, a user can activate amotor to operate the door 26. A control for the motor and/or a motorizeddoor 26 can be incorporated into a user-interface of the laundryappliance 10 or can be a separate or remote controller.

Referring to FIGS. 8-12, the laundry appliance 10 can include rails 154for sliding the door 26 between the opened and closed positions 30, 34.The rails 154 are typically disposed within the cabinet 14 on opposingsides of the front opening 18. It is contemplated that the laundryappliance 10 can have a single rail 154 or another method for slidablyengaging the door 26 with the cabinet 14. The door 26 generally definesany cross-sectional shape that engages the rails 154, or anothercoupling device, and can seal the front opening 18 of the cabinet 14while allowing translational movement of the door 26 along the rails154.

In various examples, the laundry appliance 10 includes a sealingassembly 158 for sealing the front opening 18 with the door 26. Thesealing assembly 158 can have a variety of configurations based on theconfiguration of the door 26 and/or the laundry appliance 10. Forexample, the sealing assembly 158 typically includes a first seal 162, asecond seal 166, and a gasket 170. The first seal 162 can be coupled toat least one of the bellows assembly 42 and the cabinet 14 proximate thefront opening 18. The first seal 162 often corresponds with the upperportion 50 of the bellows assembly 42. Additionally or alternatively,the first seal 162 may extend between approximately the 9 o'clockposition 122 and approximately the 3 o'clock position 118 of the bellowsassembly 42.

The second seal 166 typically corresponds with the lower portion 82 ofthe bellows assembly 42. The second seal 166 can be coupled to at leastone of the bellows assembly 42 and the cabinet 14 proximate the frontopening 18. The second seal 166 generally extends between approximatelythe 3 o'clock position 118 and approximately the 9 o'clock position 122of the bellows assembly 42.

Accordingly, the first and second seals 162, 166 can both besubstantially U-shaped seals. Further, the first and second seals 162,166 align to form a substantially circular or oblong seal around theclear access aperture 90 defined by the bellows assembly 42. In variousexamples, first seal ends 174 may be spaced-apart or offset from secondseal ends 178. Alternatively, the first seal ends 174 and the secondseal ends 178 can mate to provide a continuous seal around the frontopening 18. In a non-limiting example, the first seal ends 174 and thesecond seal ends 178 may overlap or abut one another. Moreover, thefirst seal ends 174 typically define first mating interfaces 182configured to align and abut second mating interfaces 186 defined by thegasket 170.

In various examples, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the sealingassembly 158 includes the gasket 170 as a separate component coupled tothe door 26. The gasket 170 can be configured to form a watertight sealwith the first seal 162. The first seal 162 can extend around the entirefront opening 18 of the cabinet 14, such that the sealing assembly 158may be free of the second seal 166. The first seal 162 can definenotches 190 having the first mating interface 182 configured to abut thesecond mating interfaces 186 of the gasket 170. The gasket 170 canengage the first seal 162, the bellows assembly 42, and/or the cabinet14 to form a watertight seal around the front opening 18.

Referring still to FIGS. 8-12, an inner surface 196 of the door 26 mayinclude the gasket 170. In examples without the second seal 166, thegasket 170 is configured to align with a bottom half of the first seal162 and/or the lower portion 82 of the bellows assembly 42. In exampleshaving both the first and second seals 162, 166, the gasket 170 isconfigured to align with the second seal 166 and abut the first seal162. The gasket 170 can abut the second seal 166 to form a watertightseal therebetween. In various examples, the gasket 170 is substantiallyU-shaped. The U-shaped gasket 170 is typically disposed substantially onthe door 26.

The gasket 170 can include opposing gasket ends 194 that extend beyondopposing outer edges 198 of the door 26. The gasket ends 194 extend fromthe inner surface 196 of the door 26 and can extend into the cabinet 14adjacent to the drum 22. The extended gasket ends 194 are advantageousfor collecting any liquid that may travel through the first and secondseals 162, 166 proximate the side portions 78 of the bellows assembly42. The liquid can then be guided to a storage or a recirculation systemof the laundry appliance 10. The gasket 170 is typically formedsimilarly to the first and second seals 162, 166. Additionally oralternatively, the gasket 170 may be a surface texture applied to thedoor 26 and/or may be a material applied to the door 26. In variousexamples, the gasket 170 defines the second mating interface 186 at, orproximate, each of the gasket ends 194. The first and second matinginterfaces 182, 186 can abut one another and/or interlock to form asubstantially watertight seal around the front opening 18 of the cabinet14. Additionally, the sealing assembly 158 having the various sealcomponents can form a non-contact seal, which is advantageous forreducing friction and, as a result, reducing wear on the sealingassembly 158. Each of the first and second seals 162, 166 and the gasket170 typically includes rubber materials or other similar resilientlyand/or elastically compressible materials.

Referring to FIG. 12, the second seal 166 is often disposed interior ofthe first seal 162.

The gasket 170 can be disposed outwardly of the second seal 166 andalign with the first seal 162. The gasket 170 can also extend outwardlyfrom the first seal 162. Accordingly, the gasket 170 may contact atleast one surface of the first seal 162. As illustrated, the gasket 170contacts at least two surfaces, a bottom surface 206 and a side surface210, of the first seal 162. The second mating interface 186 defined bythe gasket 170 can define any shape configured to correspond with thefirst mating interface 182 defined by the first seal 162 to form awatertight seal. Accordingly, the gasket 170 generally aligns with thesecond seal 166 to form a watertight seal along a lower portion of theaccess opening, and can abut the first seal 162 to form a continuouswatertight seal around the perimeter of the access opening 62 (FIG. 8).

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 13, in non-limiting examples, the second seal166 may be coupled to a front surface 214 of the bellows assembly 42.The bellows assembly 42 can define the folds 70 when the second seal 166is coupled to the bellows assembly 42. The second seal 166 and thegasket 170 can form first and second mating surfaces 218, 222 proximatethe lower portion 82 of the bellows assembly 42. For example, proximatethe 6 o'clock position 114 of the bellows assembly 42, the second seal166 can define the first mating surface 218 and the gasket 170 candefine the second mating surface 222. The first and second matingsurfaces 218, 222 typically correspond to one another to form awatertight seal when the door 26 is in the closed position 34.

Referring to FIGS. 11, 14, and 15, in another non-limiting example, thesecond seal 166 may be integrally formed with the bellows assembly 42.In such examples, the front surface 214 of the bellows assembly 42defines the second seal 166. Accordingly, the bellows assembly 42defines the second seal 166 and also defines the first mating surface218. The first mating surface 218 of the bellows assembly 42 and thesecond mating surface 222 of the gasket 170 correspond to form thewatertight seal proximate the lower portion 82 of the bellows assembly42 (e.g., proximate at least the 6 o'clock position 114).

In various examples, the first and second mating surfaces 218, 222 canbe angled surfaces, as illustrated in FIG. 14. In additional examples,the first mating surface 218 can define a hook 226 configured tointerlock and/or mate with an indent 230 defined by second matingsurface 222, as illustrated in FIG. 15. However, it is contemplated thatthe first and second mating surfaces 218, 222 may be any shapes thatcorrespond with one another to form a watertight seal.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 16, the first seal 162 may also be integrallyformed with the bellows assembly 42. In such examples, the first seal162 is defined by the upper portion 50 (e.g., proximate the 12 o'clockposition 94) of the bellows assembly 42. A top edge 234 of the door 26is typically configured to engage with the first seal 162 to form awatertight seal. In examples where the bellows assembly 42 defines thefirst seal 162, the bellows assembly 42 typically includes thesinusoidal-shaped folds 70 as discussed previously herein. Having thefirst and second seals 162, 166 integrally formed with the bellowsassembly 42 is advantageous for reducing manufacturing and productioncosts.

With reference to FIGS. 17-19, when configured as a sliding door 26, thedoor 26 may be operable between the opened and closed positions 30, 34within the cabinet 14 of the laundry appliance 10. The door 26 can movevertically between the opened and closed positions 30, 34. In variousexamples, the door 26 can have a substantially circular, oblong,teardrop, or any similar other shapes that covers the front opening 18.Further, the door 26 has a shape that corresponds with a shape of thefront opening 18 to cover and seal the front opening 18 when in theclosed position 34.

As previously explained, the door 26 may be slidably engaged with thelaundry appliance 10 to slide between and be retained in the closedposition 34 (FIG. 17) and the opened position 30 (FIG. 19). The door 26can also be retained in at least one intermediate position 238, asillustrated in FIG. 18, where the door 26 partially covers the frontopening 18. The various intermediate positions 238 between the openedand closed positions 30, 34 are advantageous for venting the laundryappliance 10 when the laundry appliance 10 is not in use or when addinglaundry 66 mid-cycle.

Additionally or alternatively, the door 26 can be slidably and rotatablycoupled with the laundry appliance 10 where the opened and closedpositions 30, 34 are both within the cabinet 14 of the laundry appliance10. As such, the door 26 is typically disposed within the chamber 138proximate the front opening 18 or otherwise disposed within the cabinet14 when in the opened position 30. Accordingly, the door 26 can bepivoted about an axis a to follow a circular or arced path 252 to movebetween the opened and closed positions 30, 34. The arced path 252 istypically oriented along a single vertical plane. The single verticalplane is typically substantially parallel.

Referring to FIGS. 17-20, in various examples, a bracket 242 is coupledto the outer edge 198 of the door 26. The bracket 242 is coupled to thecabinet 14 proximate the front opening 18. The bracket 242 is typicallycoupled to an inner surface of the cabinet 14 to be concealed from view.The bracket 242 can guide the rotation of the door 26. The bracket 242typically includes a biasing member 246, which can bias the door 26 in aselected position (e.g., the opened, closed, or intermediate positions30, 34, 238). Further, the biasing member 246 and the bracket 242 canprovide a counter-balancing assembly to assist manual and/or poweredmovement of the door 26.

According to various aspects, the bracket 242 can include a lockingmember 254. The locking member 254 is typically configured to retain thedoor 26 in the opened, closed, and one or more of the intermediatepositions 30, 34, 238. Further, the bracket 242 includes a pivot point250 disposed thereon. The door 26 generally rotates about the pivotpoint 250 to move between the opened and closed positions 30, 34.Accordingly, the door 26 can be a sliding and rotating door 26.

Referring still to FIGS. 17-20, the bracket 242 is typically disposedbetween the 6 o'clock position 114 and the 9 o'clock position 122. It isalso contemplated that the bracket 242 can be disposed between the 9o'clock position 122 and the 12 o'clock position 94, the 12 o'clockposition 94 and the 3 o'clock position 118, or the 3 o'clock position118 and the 9 o'clock position 122 without departing from the teachingsherein. The positioning of the bracket 242 can differ based on theselected arced path 252, the configuration of the laundry appliance 10,and/or the configuration of the door 26. The positioning of the bracket242 provides a rotation axis a for the door 26 to fully cover the frontopening 18 when in the closed position 34 and not cover the frontopening 18 (e.g., be disposed at least partially within the cabinet 14)when in the opened position 30. In non-limiting examples, the door 26may be entirely removed from the front opening 18 when in the openedposition 30.

Referring to FIGS. 17, 19, and 21, the pivot point 250 and axis a ofrotation is typically defined by two intersecting perpendicular linesthat are aligned with and/or defined by two tangent lines t₁, t₂ of thearced path 252 of the door 26 when the door 26 is in the opened andclosed positions 30, 34, respectively. Stated differently, a firsttangent line t₁ is tangent to the arced path 252 when the door 26 ispivoted about the axis a to the opened position 30. The tangent line t₁is tangent to the outer edge 198 of the door 26 when the door 26 is inthe raised position.

A second tangent line t₂ is tangent to the arced path 252 when the door26 is pivoted about the axis a to the closed position 34. The tangentline t₂ is tangent to the outer edge 198 of the door 26 at the samepoint when the door 26 is in the lowered position. Each of the tangentlines t₁, t₂ can form an angle of approximately 45° with the axis a andan angle of approximately 90° with the other tangent line t₁, t₂.Further, the tangent lines t₁, t₂ generally extend along an x-axis and ay-axis relative to the front panel 58 of the cabinet 14 of the laundryappliance 10. The substantially perpendicular tangent lines t₁, t₂defining the arced path 252 is advantageous for clearing the frontopening 18 of the door 26 when the door 26 is in the opened position 30.Further, the perpendicular tangent lines t₁, t₂ defining the arced path252 is also advantageous for minimizing the space needed for the chamber138 defined by the cabinet 14 to house the door 26 when the door 26 isin the opened position 30.

In various examples, the handle 142 of the door 26 can be disposedproximate the outer edge 198 of the door 26. Additionally, the handle142 is typically disposed in a position such that the handle 142 isaccessible to the user when the door 26 is disposed in the chamber 138in the closed position 34. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 17, thehandle 142 can be disposed proximate the 9 o'clock position 122 when thedoor 26 is in the closed position 34. Having the handle 142 in thisposition provides access to the handle 142 when the door 26 is in theopened position 30 and the closed position 34.

Referring to FIGS. 17, 19, and 21, the laundry appliance 10 includingthe slidable and rotatable door 26 can also include the sealing assembly158 for creating a watertight seal about the front opening 18. Invarious examples, the sealing assembly 158 aligns with the axis a. Insuch examples, the first seal 162 is typically disposed on a first sideof the axis a and the second seal 166 is typically disposed on a secondopposing side of the axis a. Accordingly, the first and second seals162, 166 are substantially mirror images of one another across the axisa. The gasket 170 can be configured to align and mate with the secondseal 166. As such, the gasket 170 is typically disposed on the secondside of the axis a when the door 26 is in the closed position 34 andconfigured to align with the second seal 166. Further, a portion of thedoor 26 may not include the gasket 170, and therefore the outer edge 198of the door 26 can engage with the first seal 162 when the door 26 is inthe closed position 34, as previously explained herein. Additionally,the first and second seals 162, 166 and the gasket 170 cooperate in asimilar manner as discussed previously herein to provide a watertightseal for the laundry appliance 10.

Referring to FIGS. 21 and 22, when in the opened position 30, the door26 is typically at least partially concealed by the cabinet 14 of thelaundry appliance 10. The cabinet 14 often defines the chamber 138 forhousing the door 26. Alternatively, the laundry appliance 10 may notinclude the chamber 138, and the door 26 can be disposed within thecabinet 14 when in the opened position 30. In various examples, thechamber 138 aligns with the arced path 252. Accordingly, storage areas266 can be disposed within the cabinet 14 adjacent to the arced path252. The storage areas 266 can house other machinery and/or mechanics ofthe laundry appliance 10. The size and/or shape of the storage areas 266may be determined by the arced path 252. As illustrated in FIG. 21, onestorage area 266 is disposed on each side of the arced path 252.However, it is contemplated that there can be a single storage area 266disposed on a single side of the arced path 252, no storage areas 266,or any other practicable configuration.

Additionally or alternatively, the laundry appliance 10 can include adrip container 262 disposed within the chamber 138 or otherwise disposedbelow the door 26 and/or the arced path 252 of the door 26 within thecabinet 14. The geometry of the door 26 typically provides a liquidmanagement feature for residual liquid. The door 26 includes a low point258 where a liquid is directed from the door 26 into the drip container262. The position of the low point 258 of the door 26 differs based onthe position of the door 26. However, in relation to the front opening18, the low point 258 may remain at approximately the 6 o'clock position114. As the door 26 pivots, the position on the door 26 that correspondswith the 6 o'clock position 114 changes, resulting in the change of thelow point 258 relative to the door 26.

Use of the present disclosure provides a variety of advantages. Forexample, the sinusoidal folds 70 of the bellows assembly 42 reduceself-contact of the bellows assembly 42, which reduces surface wear ofthe bellows assembly 42. Further, the sinusoidal folds 70 reduce contactbetween the bellows assembly 42 and the tub 20 and/or the cabinet 14 toreduce surface wear of the bellows assembly 42. Additionally, thebellows wash assembly 46 provides an automatic and/or ongoing washingfunction of the bellows assembly 42. The bellows wash assembly 46removes laundry material from the bellows assembly 42 that can result inpremature wear of the bellows assembly 42. Moreover, the bellows washassembly 46 can be used with or without the deflector 74 in the laundryappliance 10. Also, the laundry appliance 10 includes the sealingassembly 158 for providing a watertight seal in conjunction with thesliding door 26. The sealing assembly 158 can be a non-contact seal thatreduces friction and, accordingly, reduces wear on the sealing assembly158. Moreover, the door 26 can be configured to slide and rotate througha vertical plane. Additional benefits or advantages of using this devicemay also be realized and/or achieved.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a laundry applianceincludes a cabinet that has a front panel. A tub is positioned withinthe cabinet. A door is coupled to the front panel of the cabinet. Thedoor moves vertically between a closed position and an opened position.A bellows assembly is coupled to the front panel. The bellows assemblyextends between the cabinet and the tub. A sealing assembly includes afirst seal and a second seal that are each coupled to the bellowsassembly.

According to another aspect, a door includes a gasket. The gasket isconfigured to align with a second seal when the door is in a closedposition.

According to another aspect, a first seal includes a first matinginterface. A gasket includes a second mating interface. The first andsecond mating interfaces align with one another when a door is in aclosed position to form a watertight seal.

According to another aspect, a gasket is disposed on an inner surface ofa door. The gasket includes opposing ends that extend beyond an outeredge of the door.

According to another aspect, a first seal is coupled to a cabinet andextends around a first portion of a front opening defined by a frontpanel. A second seal is coupled to the cabinet and extends around asecond portion of the front opening.

According to another aspect, a bellows assembly defines asinusoidal-shaped fold having a first fold portion and a second foldportion.

According to another aspect, a bellows wash assembly is disposedproximate an upper portion of the bellows assembly. The bellows washassembly is configured to dispense water along an interior surface ofthe bellows assembly.

According to another aspect, a bracket is coupled to a front panel and adoor. The door is configured to vertically rotate along a single planebetween opened and closed positions.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a laundryappliance includes a cabinet that defines a front opening in a frontpanel thereof. A tub is disposed within the cabinet. A bracket iscoupled to the front panel proximate the front opening. A door isrotatably coupled to the cabinet via the bracket. The door is operablealong an arced path through a single plane between opened and closedpositions. The single plane is parallel to the front panel.

According to another aspect, an arced path defines an opened positionand a closed position. A door fully covers a front opening when in theclosed position and is fully removed from the front opening when in theopened position.

According to another aspect, a door rotates about an axis of rotation.An axis of rotation is defined between a first tangent line and a secondtangent line, the first and second tangent lines being perpendicular toone another.

According to another aspect, a first tangent line is tangent to an outeredge of a door when the door is in a closed position. A second tangentline is tangent to the outer edge of the door when the door is in theopened position.

According to another aspect, a cabinet defines a chamber. A door is atleast partially disposed within the chamber when the door is in anopened position.

According to another aspect, a sealing assembly is coupled to a door anda cabinet. The sealing assembly is configured to form a watertight sealwhen the door is in a closed position.

According to another aspect, a sealing assembly includes a first sealcoupled to the bellows assembly, a second seal coupled to the bellowsassembly, and a gasket coupled to an inner surface of a door. The gasketis configured to mate with the first seal when the door is in a closedposition.

According to another aspect, a bellows assembly defines asinusoidal-shaped fold having a first fold portion and a second foldportion. The first fold portion and a cabinet define a spacetherebetween. The second fold portion and a tub define a gaptherebetween.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a laundryappliance includes a cabinet. A tub is positioned within the cabinet. Abellows assembly extends between the cabinet and the tub. A bellows washassembly is disposed proximate an upper portion of the bellows assembly.The bellows wash assembly is configured to dispense water on an interiorsurface of the bellows assembly.

According to another aspect, a gasket is coupled to an inner surface ofa door. A bellows assembly defines a seal in a lower portion thereofconfigured to mate with the gasket when the door is in a closedposition.

According to another aspect, a door is at least one of a sliding paneldoor and a rotating panel door.

According to another aspect, a drum disposed within a tub. A bottomportion of a bellows assembly defines a sloping surface to direct liquidinto a drum.

It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art thatconstruction of the described disclosure and other components is notlimited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of thedisclosure disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety ofmaterials, unless described otherwise herein.

For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” (in all of itsforms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining oftwo components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to oneanother. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature.Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical ormechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrallyformed as a single unitary body with one another or with the twocomponents. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removableor releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.

It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement ofthe elements of the disclosure as shown in the exemplary embodiments isillustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the presentinnovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, thoseskilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciatethat many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes,dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements,values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors,orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novelteachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example,elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple partsor elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, theoperation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, thelength or width of the structures and/or members or connector or otherelements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustmentpositions provided between the elements may be varied. It should benoted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may beconstructed from any of a wide variety of materials that providesufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors,textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications areintended to be included within the scope of the present innovations.Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be madein the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the desired andother exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of thepresent innovations.

It will be understood that any described processes or steps withindescribed processes may be combined with other disclosed processes orsteps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. Theexemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrativepurposes and are not to be construed as limiting.

What is claimed is:
 1. A laundry appliance, comprising: a cabinetdefining a front opening in a front panel thereof; a tub disposed withinthe cabinet; a bracket coupled to the front panel proximate the frontopening; and a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet via the bracket,wherein the door is operable along an arced path through a single planebetween opened and closed positions, wherein the single plane isparallel to the front panel.
 2. The laundry appliance of claim 1,wherein the arced path defines the opened position and the closedposition, and wherein the door fully covers the front opening when inthe closed position and is fully removed from the front opening when inthe opened position.
 3. The laundry appliance of claim 1, wherein thedoor rotates about an axis of rotation, and wherein the axis of rotationis defined between a first tangent line and a second tangent line, thefirst and second tangent lines being perpendicular to one another. 4.The laundry appliance of claim 3, wherein the first tangent line istangent to an outer edge of the door when the door is in the closedposition, and wherein the second tangent line is tangent to the outeredge of the door when the door is in the opened position.
 5. The laundryappliance of claim 1, wherein the cabinet defines a chamber, and whereinthe door is at least partially disposed within the chamber when the dooris in the opened position.
 6. The laundry appliance of claim 1, furthercomprising: a sealing assembly coupled to the door and the cabinet,wherein the sealing assembly is configured to form a watertight sealwhen the door is in the closed position.
 7. The laundry appliance ofclaim 6, wherein the sealing assembly includes a first seal coupled tothe bellows assembly, a second seal coupled to the bellows assembly, anda gasket coupled to an inner surface of the door, and further whereinthe gasket is configured to mate with the first seal when the door is inthe closed position.
 8. The laundry appliance of claim 1, wherein thebellows assembly defines a sinusoidal-shaped fold having a first foldportion and a second fold portion, and wherein the first fold portionand the cabinet define a space therebetween, and further wherein thesecond fold portion and the tub define a gap therebetween.